Floating ship-form.



J. A. LYNCH. FLOATING SHIP FOR M. APPLICATION FILED SEPT.20. I918.

Patented May 6, 1919.

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JOHN A. LYNCH, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

FLOATING SHIP-FORM.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mayo, 1%119.

Application filed September 20, 1918. Serial No. 254,968.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that l, Joni: .si. LYNCH, acitizen of the United States, residing at 1307 North 15th street,Philadelphia, inthe county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania,have invented new and useful Improvements in Floating Ship -Forms, ofwhich the following is a specification.

This invention relates to a floating form to be used in shipconstruction, and it has more particular reference to a floating formfor the construction of concrete or reinforced concrete vessels and thelike. Heretofore in the construction of concrete or reinforced concretevessels it has been essential to launch the vessel when complete on itsside, whereby considerable expense, time and labor has been involved.

The main object of my invention is to provide a form by the use of whichin the construction of concrete or reinforced concrete vessels, saidvessel may be launched on an even keel.

A further object of my invention is to provide a floatingfo-rm for usein the construction of concrete or reinforced concrete ships which canbe readily placed in position for the construction or formation of aships hull, readily detached therefrom when said hull is completed bypartial or complete submersion, and thereby leaving the completed hullfloating on an even keel.

With these and other objects in view, as will be hereinafter moreapparent, my invention consists essentially in forming a pair offioatable cradles hingedly connected along the keel line, and saidcradles being adapted for partial or complete submersion as and whendesired.

In the further disclosure of the invention, reference is to be had tothe accompanying drawing, constituting a part of this specification, inwhich similar characters of reference denote corresponding parts in allthe views, and in which Figure 1 is an end view of one form of myinvention, and as adapted for the construction of a concrete orreinforced concrete ships hull, the form being shown in the operativeposition.

Fig. 2 is an end view, but showing the form detached from the shipshull, said hull being indicated in dot-and-dash lines and the form moreor less submerged.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged cross section through one of the pontoons or airfilled cylinders which are provided with means for regulating thebalance, or the maintenance of an evenkeel.

Fig; 4 is a detail perspective view of part of the submerging means,"and Fig. 5 is an enlarged cross section of one ofthe air-filled tubesor pontoons, hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings the improved form consists essentially of a series ofopposed cradle members 10, 10 hingedly connected at 1.1 longitudinallyof the keel line. These cradle members 10 are shaped to conform to theusual lines desired in the construction of the concrete ship, and theyhave connected thereto links 12, 12 which in turn are rigidly connectedto strong beams 18, said strong beams in turn having threadedtherethrough or connected therewith spaced air tubes or pontoons 14, 14and 14". Cross bracings or tie links 15, 15 connect the aforesaid links12, 12 lattice fashion to the strong beams 13 and to upper plates orbeams 16, on which connecting members 17 can be bolted or otherwisesecured to complete the form.

Connected to each of the aforesaid air tubes or pontoons 14 are flexiblepipes 18, 18 for conveying compressed air from the compression pumps 19,conveniently located or carried on floats 20 at each or either sideof'the form.

Each of the aforesaid tubes or pontoons 14 is provided at its lower partwith one or more openings 21, to permit water to enter said tubes, andsaid openings 21 are surrounded by a tubular projection 22, which withthe use of compressed air serves to prevent water from entering thepontoons when in a floating position. Vertically or otherwise locatedabove the openings 21 the pontoons 14 are provided with tubularprojections 23, to which the aforesaid flexible con nections 18, 18 arejoined. At intervals along the length of the entire form there areprovided in some of the pontoons 14 one or more disks or sluicepartitions 24, which are adapted to be opened or closed by sluices 24,operated by turn screws 25, or other appropriate mechanism, and saidsluices 24' serve to open or close apertures 26 between connectingchambers comprising pontoons 14, 1d, 14", so that the water may bepermitted to pass to, or prevented from flowin from one chamber toanother. Air holes 2? are obviously provided above the sluices 2% in thedisk partitions 24.

In use and assuming the form to have been floated into the positionshown in Fig. 1, for the construction of a concrete ship, and when saidship has been constructed and is ready for launching, the cover or connecting member or members 17, is first removed to free the top portionof the hull. The air-relief valves 28 are then opened, which permitsWater to enter the lines of pontoons 14:, 14 and a portion of 1%",through the openings 22 thereunder, Whereupon said pontoons commence tosink and thereby draw the cradles 10, 10 aWay from the constructed shipshull, and on reference to Fig. 2 it will be noted that the pontoons 148are not entirely exhausted of air Which keeps the form in an opensuspended position, While the completed hull is being floated away fromthe cradles. After this operation compressed air is again forced backinto the pontoons 14;, 14: and 14", Which serves to gradually raise theform into its closed or operative position preparatory and ready for thebuilding of another hull.

From the foreging description, it Will be readily seen that by myinvention I provide an extremely effective and useful form for theconstruction of concrete or reinforced concrete ships hull, and I Wishit clearly understood that I do not confine myself in any Way to thespecific construction, arrangement or combination of parts described andshown, other combinations and arrangements being obvious Without in anyWay departing from the spirit of my invention, and as more particularlydefined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A floating form for the construction of concrete ships, comprisingopposed cradles hingedly connected longitudinally of the keel line,means for connecting said cradles in opposed relation, and said cradlesbeing braced to floatable pontoons, and means for submerging saidpontoons When the constructed ship is ready for launching and raisingthem again to floating position.

2. A floating form for the construction of concrete ships, comprisingopposed cradle members hingedly connected longitudinally of the keelline, strong beams connected to said cradle members and supported byspaced pontoons, means for connecting said cradle members at their upperparts in proper spaced relation, lattice connections between said cradlemembers and the strong beams, and means for connecting said spacedpontoons With a source or supply of compressed air.

3. A floating form for the construction of concrete ships, comprisingopposed cradle members hingedly connected longitudinally of the keelline, strong beams connected to said cradle members and supported byspaced pontoons, said spaced pontoons at intervals being provided withsluice connections, a cover for connecting said cradle members at theirupper parts in proper spaced relation, lattice connections between saidcradle members and the strong beams,

and means for connecting said spaced pontoons With a source or supply ofcompressed alr.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature.

JOHN A. LYNCH.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G.

